Aymeric Dupre la Tour will perform on harpsichord with the Chamber Orchestra of New York on Sunday, Feb. 9, in Fairfield.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Aymeric Dupre la Tour will perform on harpsichord with the Chamber...

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The New York Chamber Orchestra, which performs Sunday, Feb. 9, in Fairfield, is shown at a recent concert in the recital space at Carnegie Hall.

Photo: Contributed Photo

The New York Chamber Orchestra, which performs Sunday, Feb. 9, in...

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Maestro Salvatore Di Vittorio and members of the Chamber Orchestra of New York will visit Fairfield on Sunday, Feb. 9, for a concert at First Church Congregational.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Maestro Salvatore Di Vittorio and members of the Chamber Orchestra...

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Aymeric Dupre la Tour will perform on harpsichord with the Chamber Orchestra of New York on Sunday, Feb. 9, in Fairfield. The instrument, above, was crafted to the musician's specifications by Zuckermann Harpsichords International of Stonington.

Dupre la Tour and the Chamber Orchestra of New York, led by Salvatore Di Vittorio, will repeat the concert on Thursday evening, Feb. 13, at Manhattan's Carnegie Hall. (Tickets: $40, $30; $20 for students and seniors.)

In discussing the premiere, Maestro Di Vittorio pointed out that "the first movement begins with a slow, thoughtful overture of sound, followed by a soliloquy from the harpsichord, and a regal, yet firm response by the strings. The cadenza then gives way to a second, final movement marked `Andante con spirito' that is quite effervescent with endless harpsichord attacks, colored and surrounded by light string counterpoint."

All in all, quite lovely, Dupre la Tour said.

To introduce the American public to such a beautiful and rare piece of music is an extraordinary pleasure and privilege, said Dupre la Tour, who also is a renowned pianist and organist.

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Zuckermann Harpsichords International, in Stonington, announced that the soloist will perform on "our new Italian harpsichord (fashioned after one made in Italy by Carlo Grimaldi in 1697), which Dupre la Tour also voiced" (meaning that he musically designed the instrument to his specifications).

How the Scarlatti piece has come to Fairfield has a lot to do with serendipity, Dupre la Tour said.

"Salvatore also is a composer ... who is now completing the unfinished early works of Respighi, under commission from the Respighi family and archives. Di Vittorio and Scarlatti share the same hometown, Palermo (Italy), but he works a lot in Bologna doing research at the Respighi archives."

It was in Bologna that the maestro heard about Ut Orpheus Edizioni, which "published the reconstruction of the Scarlatti Concerti by Ottavio Dantone. It is surprising that no orchestra seems to have performed the piece in the U.S. since its publication in 2004," said Dupre la Tour, who has a doctorate in musical arts from the Juilliard School.